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MSFW: Designer Series 1

I observed crowd-favourite Gwendolynne Burkin sitting across from me in the front row at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week‘s Designer Series 1 last night. As she bit her lip and leant over to whisper to seatmate and oft-time collaborator milliner Richard Nylon during her label’s showing, I had to wonder; what goes through the designer’s mind when months of hard work (and in this case painstaking beading) is finally put under the spotlight? “I’ve got to say I was really thinking about food…as I was so busy I hadn’t had a chance to do the basic things humans must do!” Gluttonous distractions aside, the glamourous atmosphere of the catwalk still holds a certain pull, “seeing my vision of design come to life with movement on beautiful models is always exciting and rewarding especially finished with Richard Nylon’s headpieces. After 15 years I am more zen about the process as worrying has no value and little hiccups will always happen. There are so many people involved you have to surrender to others and let them do their jobs.”

Her gowns this year were accompanied by striking co-ordinating bonnets, created in partnership with Nylon. Apparently the idea had been bubbling for a while and this year’s show stylist Peter Simon Phillips finally gave the duo leeway to be a little more risqué with the look they sent down the runway. Explains Gwendolynne, “Peter saw the Alexander McQueen bonnets so he could digest our vision! I knew all the dresses intimately so, as each bonnet was unique and quite elaborate, I took care to ensure each one enhanced the dress rather than competed.”

Now that the show is over for another season (and she has hopefully been fed, watered and relaxed) Gwendolynne has a whole lot more to look forward to, from grand plans to the simple things; “I’m so enjoying the creeper on my patio sprouting new leaves from its dormant sleepy state.” As a City of Melbourne bicycle ambassador she also “can’t wait to get on my bike and scoot about Melbourne in a pretty dress not covered by a raincoat” and is justifiably “really excited about preparing for my wedding to my beautiful fiancé.” On a more professional note the label has just started offering a small selection of flats for tall women or those having events on the beach. And Gwendolynne has commissioned artist Emma Leonard to create an illustration that is destined to be turned into scarves. “I’m hoping to try and find time to illustrate again too as I want to do a series of illustrations that celebrate my 15 years in business this November.”